Hospital reception desk asked to receive only 35 patients

VietNamNet Bridge – In an attempt to improve quality along with the future application of the new prices for over 400 health services, Vietnam Social Insurance requests that every patient reception desk at hospitals nationwide receive a maximum of 35 patients per day.

VietNamNet Bridge – In an attempt to improve quality along with the future application of the new prices for over 400 health services, Vietnam Social Insurance requests that every patient reception desk at hospitals nationwide receive a maximum of 35 patients per day.

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Patients waiting for examination and treatment at the Oncology Hospital in HCMC. (Photo: Tuoi Tre)

The request was delivered by the agency at yesterday’s conference on issues related to the new fee rates for 447 health services at hospitals, which are expected to be applied in July 2012.

That means that when the new rates are applied, all hospitals will have to re-organize their patient reception systems so that they can better serve patients who come in, although no desk will be allowed to receive more than 35 patients per day.

Hospitals that cannot meet the requirement due to a small staff and insufficient medical equipment must report their conditions to the agency for consideration.

Currently, many hospitals are suffering from patient overloading and a doctor has to examine a number of patients that is much higher than 35 per day. For example, a doctor in the Oncology Hospital in HCMC has to receive 100-120 patients per day.

The representative of the Quang Ninh Province Health Department said that the Health Ministry should consider a roadmap for implementation of this request, since many hospitals, both at central and local levels, do not yet have enough staff and equipment.

Regarding the implementation of the new fee rates, Health Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Xuyen said local hospitals must apply their current prices list of health services until local health authorities approve their new rates.

Under the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, which took effect on January 1, 2011, people’s committees of provinces and cities are authorized to issue new prices for health services that are applied locally, based on the said list of maximum prices of 447 services, while the ministry is to issue those applied for hospitals at the central level, Xuyen explained. Hospitals are not allowed to collect any extra charges from patients, the official said.

Currently, the people’s committees of provinces and cities are building their local list of new prices and will have to present them at the meetings of the people’s councils scheduled in June or July for approval before application, the Health Ministry said.